Practice Philosophy

Dr. Steven Teitelbaum is a board certified plastic surgeon in Santa Monica, California and an Associate Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery at the UCLA School of Medicine.

Dr. Teitelbaum has been in private practice in Santa Monica since 1995. He specializes exclusively in aesthetic plastic surgery.

Dr. Teitelbaum received his medical education at UCLA School of Medicine and his completed his surgical residency at Harvard. This stellar academic and practical training developed him into a fine surgeon, and then the incomparable experience in the busy plastic surgery wards at LA County Hospital during his plastic surgery training at USC enabled him to hone and master his skills.

There are many routes to becoming a plastic surgeon, and Dr. Teitelbaum chose the most thorough and demanding training process: completing entire residencies in both general surgery and plastic surgery. He went on to become board certified in both Surgery and in Plastic Surgery, and is a member of nearly every national and international plastic surgery organization.

At Dr. Teitelbaum’s graduation from plastic surgery training, his program director introduced him by saying that he hoped that he would live up to his potential to be both an excellent surgeon and someone who would bring science to aesthetic surgery. Dr. Teitelbaum has since given lectures on five continents, teaches at the world’s largest and most important aesthetic surgery meeting, participated in multiple research trials, written book chapters and journal articles, and teaches final-year plastic surgery residents at UCLA.

Dr. Teitelbaum holds leadership positions in the major plastic surgery societies including Treasurer and Legislative Committee Chair of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons, as well as Board Member of the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation. He has advocated for the rights of plastic surgery patients on Capitol Hill, the state capital, and in front of the FDA.

Plastic surgery is not just Dr. Teitelbaum’s vocation; it is his all-encompassing passion.

Consultations

Many plastic surgeons who offer complimentary meetings actually pass you off to a "cosmetic consultant" or patient coordinator, or they may spend only a few moments with you.

Dr. Teitelbaum schedules a large block of time for each prospective patient, and will always take as much time as you need to discuss your desires and your concerns. There is usually an array of surgical options available, each involving different costs, risks, recoveries, scars, and results.

It is Dr. Teitelbaum's goal to explore these issues as thoroughly as possible, so that you can make a truly informed choice about what you want done. Whether you have the surgery done with Dr. Teitelbaum, by someone else, or not at all, you will be sure to leave your consultation with a dramatically enhanced understanding of your situation.